Saturday, February 27, 2010

For anyone who hasn't been following the Johnny Weir/Nine Network saga during the 2010 Vancouver winter Olympics, quick headsup. Eddie McGuire, Nine commentator (and former ceo), who has been anchoring the network's 2010 winter Olympics coverage, became embroiled in controversy over comments delivered during coverage of the male ice skating events last week, in tandem with guest host, Australian comedian Mick Molloy. The duo joked that flamboyantly-dressed male ice skaters - and in particular, ferosh US ice star Johnny Weir - did not leave "anything in the closet", with one competitor's costume described as "a bit of a Brokeback", in reference to Ang Lee's 2005 bromance Brokeback Mountain. In the wake of a backlash - which has included demands for a formal investigation in Australia into McGuire and Molloy's alleged vilification of homosexuals - Nine attempted to make amends by corralling Weir onto its Olympics team as a guest commentator.

After several nights of guest spots calling this week's womens' ice skating finals in Nine's field studio, Weir just presented an 11-minute wrapup of the best and worst fashions of the winter Olympics, together with McGuire and co-host Leila McKinnon.

In thanking Weir, McGuire alluded to possible future collaborations between the network and Weir. Noted McGuire:

"We are going to try to get you down to Australia in the not too distant future. Not only come down and have some fun, maybe with Fashion Weeks and things like that, but we want to see to see you skate, You are a champion and for all the hoohaa that's being going on, sometimes you can forget that you are a fantastic athlete".

Beyond some high profile blogging invitees that organisers are rumoured to be wooing - the names Tavi Gevinson and Susie Bubble spring to mind - will Johnny Weir ice the rest of the competition out of Sydney's front row?